Can smartphone overuse cause arthritis? UAE doctors explain the risks of repeated tapping and gripping
If your mother ever warned you about using your phone too much, she might have been onto something. “You will hurt your hands at this rate. They’ll turn into claws,” my mother had once warned me, invoking the image of Matthew Perry's Chandler Bing’s hand cramping into a claw after hours of playing Pac-Man in Friends . At the time, I dismissed it as another maternal warning. And like everyone else…
UAE doctors explain that excessive smartphone use can strain hands, wrists, muscles and tendons, but it does not directly cause arthritis. Arthritis is a condition characterized by inflammation or damage to the joints, often stemming from age, genetics, old injuries, or underlying medical conditions. While phone use can lead to repetitive stress on the joints and tendons, it is not the primary cause of arthritis.
The primary concern is the weight, grip, and repetition of movements while using a phone for extended periods. Dr. Tania Sultana Memon, a rheumatology specialist, emphasizes that persistent hand pain should be addressed, as it may indicate a problem beyond the simple strain caused by smartphone use.
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